Cozaar (Losartan Potassium)

Care4Mom2

My husband was just put on Losartan Potassium for high blood pressure. He was diagnosed last year with MCI. (My feeling is that it was a result of his high blood pressure — that he has had for years.)  I did some research on Losartan and saw where studies have shown it to improve or reverse dementia. Has any of your loved ones been on this drug?

ElaineD

Dear Care4Mom2,

My DH is 82.  He's been on various blood pressure meds for the last 20 years at least.  He's currently on Losartan Potassium 25mg.

He's in mid-stage MCI, progressing at a rate that has 'new' symptoms every week, it seems.

Since he's controlled his BP for so long, I don't think it is a factor in his dementia, which is Vascular and runs in his family.

HOWEVER, I just read a study from Oxford University in England that indicates that ANY amount of drinking alcohol affects grey matter of the brain.  The kind of alcohol doesn't matter.

My DH drinks every day, sometimes more than one drink, often 'double or triple' drinks of scotch.   When we go out for Japanese food he always has 2 LARGE bottles of Saki.  

I think he drinks more now that he is retired and somewhat bored.

BTW, for the first time he directly mentioned his 'memory problems' to me.  He left laundry in the communal laundry room dryer, and didn't remember it until 10 pm last night.  While he was putting it away, he mumbled about his 'memory problems'.

Up until now he has said that his memory is normal 'for his age'.   I think he can no longer rationalize his memory problems as 'normal'.

Elaine

harshedbuzz

My 83 year old mom is medically complex but does not have a dementia diagnosis. Her psychiatrist assures me she's "firing on all cylinders" and her PCP says she does well on screening with the usual quickie tests.

That said, I find if she's not well oxygenated because of valvular, BP or COPD issues, she not only loses clarity, she starts to develop the kind of forgetful, conflated and paranoid mindset I first noticed in my dad prior to his dementia diagnosis. Once the issue is resolved, she goes back to her usual personality and cognition. When she gets like this, I always run her into see her PCP or pulmo and there's always been a reason. 

With my dad, BP had no bearing on his dementia although as the disease progressed, his BP did lower enough that meds required adjustment.

Good luck. I hope it helps.

HB

Marta

Care4Mom:  to the extent that losartan helps reduce the risk factors for dementia, such as high blood pressure, it can impact favorably the progression of dementia, e.g. vascular dementia.

There is no evidence that losartan, or any other modality, can reverse dementia.  If there is anything at all found that can reverse dementia, the town crier will notify us.

Stuck in the middle

I've taken Cozar for several years.  It keeps my blood pressure down, but I have noticed no other effect.

Care4Mom2

Stuck in the middle, do you have cognitive issues? I did see where there is a current human study going on to see the results of Losartan on cognition. There were promising results in mice. It may be affective, depending on the underlying cause. Not sure. It will be interesting to see.

Care4Mom2

A correction: I meant to say initially that Losartan appears to improve or reverse cognition. Here was one study.

 https://academic.oup.com/ajh/article/12/11/1130/242634?login=true

JJ401

DH has been taking Losartan Potassium for about 20 years for his high blood pressure. He started taking it long before he had any memory problems.